Raptors fans have to be riding a joyful high right about now. Toronto just took care of business once again, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers. This win proved that their last victory over Cleveland in NBA group play on October 31 was no fluke.
This time around, the Cavs had the luxury of Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Sam Merrill in the lineup. While Mitchell put up a 31-point performance, the Raptors had no problem containing Cleveland, securing a 126-113 result. Toronto has secured victories in six of their last seven outings (cue cheesy 6-7 gesture). During this stretch, it has been a pleasant development to see some of their early weak points reignite their flame and return to their usual game speed.
Immanuel Quickley's last four games during this road trip have been stellar, and it finally looks like he's got his shooting woes in check. Likewise, veteran big man Jakob Poeltl, who has largely been dealing with injury management to start off the 2025-26 campaign, is slowly beginning to return to top form and provide Toronto with his much-needed presence.
A healthy Jakob Poeltl gives the Toronto Raptors an essential boost
Against Cleveland on November 13, Poeltl had his best game to date, posting 20 points on a hyperefficient 7-for-10 field goal shooting, a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. And while Toronto's victory against Brooklyn on November 11 wasn't the prettiest effort, Poeltl's performance there too showed a positive trajectory: 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting, ten rebounds, two assists, two blocks, one steal, and a +15 plus/minus.
Many had good reason to be wary of Poeltl's prominent injury issues this season, especially after the 30-year-old center secured a significant contract this past offseason. It was understandable to see this as a red flag. However, simply labeling Poeltl as 'washed' underestimated his ability to return to form. Now, it seems we are witnessing the Austrian big man back and better than ever.
Poeltl is a crucial element in unlocking the Raptors' strengths and overall lineup potential. He plays a key role as a screener, and while he may not be the most nimble-looking big in the NBA, Poeltl is very aware of where to be at the right moments to support his teammates. This has definitely been a positive development for Immanuel Quickley, as we've seen in these last few games.
I think Scottie Barnes put it best in his post-game interview with TSN on November 13:
"Obviously, we need Jak [Jakob Poeltl]. He's our big man. He's our anchor. His rim-presence, when they try to attack, him trying to be in there to block shots, rebounding for us is super important. When he's not out there on the floor, we struggle with rebounding. So when he's out there on the floor, we do a really great job of boxing out, him being able to clean up the glass for us. He's super important for our team. "Scottie Barnes